The invention relates to concrete constructions of discrete modular panels and connectors assembled to form outdoor landscape and noise barriers and the like.
Outdoor constructions of this type may be utilized as a barrier against, e.g., intruding people, animals or reptiles, vehicles, fire, wind and wind blown substances, as well as radiated waves in the form of radioactivity, light, radio frequency, noise, and heat. Numerous objectives should be considered, and ultimately balanced, in selection of such a modular barrier, including the cost of erecting the barrier (this requires, among other factors, the expense of fabricating and joining standardized modules), and ease of construction. Other, equally important, factors are the flexibility of the design, particularly where the barrier is to be constructed over varying or difficult terrain or within a narrow right-of-way, and durability and low maintenance cost.
Prior barriers proposed to meet these objectives are described in my earlier patents, including U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,656 (issued Feb. 26, 1973), U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,401 (issued Jun. 19, 1978), U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,947 (issued Feb. 13, 1979) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,411 (issued Jul. 29, 1980), the disclosures of which ar incorporated herein by reference, and as embodied in constructions of The Fanwall Company and The Reinforced Earth Company.